Ding Dong Ditch
by X2C
Summary: Ringing that guy's doorbell was the best thing Cloud had ever done. Ever. AU, Yaoi. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

First fanfic! W00T! :D This will be multi-chaptered, although how many, I'm not sure. It'll be done when it's finished, I guess. xD Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :)

** EDIT: The ending of this chapter has been rewritten. Those of you who've read this before that, you'll wanna check it out; there's been some semi-important changes. xD Now, then...Enjoy! :)

**Chapter 1: Busted**

"C'mon, Cloud! Just do it!"

"What if he catches me?"

"You'll be fine. Just don't forget to run. Okay, you ready? Go!"

Cloud stumbled forward as he was given a rough push from behind by his dark-haired companion. He threw a glare over his shoulder, directed at Zack, and ignored Reno's encouraging thumbs-up. He sighed and faced forward again, his stomach dropping at the sight of the big, creepy house towering over them in the darkness. He mentally cursed himself for agreeing to do this. '_It'll be fun_,' they'd said. He scoffed at that.

"Yeah, _real_ fun," he grumbled to himself as he took a couple hesitant steps forward. There were a few lights on in the house, making Cloud even more nervous. He took a deep breath and crouched down a bit, keeping to the darkest shadows. He eventually made it to the old, cracked stairs leading to the wooden deck, wincing at the creaks they emitted. When he reached the top of the stairs, he paused and stared at the door with nervous butterflies in his stomach. Soft light escaped through a part in the curtains behind one window, bathing a section of the porch in soft lamplight.

He swallowed thickly and gathered his courage. _Just ring the doorbell, then get the hell outta here_. Careful to avoid making any noise, Cloud slowly crept forward, towards the door.

Hidden behind low shrubbery, Reno and Zack watched Cloud's every movement with rapt attention. Zack was always urging the blonde to be more adventurous and daring, so what he was seeing proved to be very entertaining. A large grin was plastered across his face and a quick glance at Reno told him the redhead was also enjoying himself. An excited giggle escaped his throat and Reno snickered.

"He's taking _forever_," Zack whispered.

"I know! Kid needs to hurry the fuck up."

Cloud held his breath. _Just do it_. He raised an almost-shaking hand and put his finger to the small doorbell button, but right as he was about to push it, a noise from within the home caught his attention. It sounded like...a click? Cloud froze, eyes wide as he stared helplessly at the door...which was now opening.

"Oh, shit!" Zack looked on in astonishment as the front door of the house swung open and Cloud was suddenly drawn inside, door shutting behind him. His jaw dropped and Reno's eyes widened. They slowly looked at eachother.

"..._Fuck_."

X~x~X

Sephiroth hurriedly shut the door after pulling the little blonde inside the house. He held him up against the door, pinning his wrists above his head while his other hand covered the boy's protesting mouth. Wide, blue eyes stared up at him, fright clear in them. The blonde was making desperate, whimpering sounds, though muffled by Sephiroth's firm hand.

Sephiroth stared back calmly, a smirk curving his lips. The silver-haired man had waited that night, peeking out the windows every now and then in search of the annoying brats that would undoubtedly make their less-than-appreciated appearance. As expected, the two teenage trouble-makers had shown up, along with a new unfamiliar face. The little blonde had appeared nervous and a bit scared, leading Sephiroth to believe that his friends had most likely persuaded him into coming along. _Perhaps, that was a good thing_, Sephiroth thought mischievously, eyes shining.

When the boy's noises had quieted down some, Sephiroth uncovered his mouth and pressed his finger to the teen's lips. "Shh."

The youth nodded and Sephiroth took a step back, releasing the youth as he did so. When he felt that the boy wouldn't try to run, he calmly strode over to the window and moved the curtains slightly to glance outside. The other two were still in the bushes, apparently arguing with eachother. Perfect.

"You with them?" he asked, nodding to the window.

The deep, smooth voice brought Cloud out of whatever shock he was in. His heart began to race as he realized what had happened.

He'd been caught. Plain and simple.

Hopefully, this silver-haired man wasn't some sort of murderer and wouldn't kill Cloud over it. Catching the man's inquiring gaze, Cloud lowered his eyes ashamedly. "U-um..."

The way the teen guiltily lowered his head was answer enough. Sephiroth smirked. "Hmph. Thought so." Abandoning the window, Sephiroth strolled back over to the guilty teen, studying him. Now he was sure he hadn't seen the kid before. He would've recognized the wild blonde spikes and attractive face, no doubt. "Although...I can't recall seeing you. Have you come here before?"

Cloud quickly looked up, waving his hands in front of him. "N-no, sir!" he quickly denied, shaking his head. "They made me come here tonight, I didn't even want to."

"Really," Sephiroth drawled, tapping his finger against his chin as he stared at the blonde. Then, he smiled. "Well, in that case, perhaps you wouldn't mind doing me a little favor."

Wordlessly, Sephiroth turned on his heel and headed towards the living room, gesturing for his nervous 'guest' to follow.

Cloud scrambled after the man, watching as ridiculously long, silver hair swayed behind him. He followed him into a large, well-furnished living room, glancing around curiously. When the man stopped and seated himself on a comfortable-looking couch, Cloud remembered his words. He stood before him and eyed him warily. "A-and that would be...?"

Sephiroth caught the look and laughed light-heartedly, waving a dismissive hand. "Don't worry, I'm not going to rape you or anything." The teen blushed at that. Sephiroth chuckled and gestured for him to take a seat on the chair across from the couch. When he was settled, Sephiroth began to explain.

"Your friends out there have been visiting this house for a couple weeks now, ringing the doorbell at night and then running off." He looked exasperated as he said, "_Every_ week. It's becoming quite bothersome."

Cloud nodded understandingly, then shrugged slightly. "What do you want me to do?"

Sephiroth smiled at him. "I want to teach them a lesson. You'll be my accomplice."

"...Uh, okay," Cloud hesitantly agreed, becoming a little suspicious. He hoped he wouldn't have to kill his friends...

Sephiroth sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Here's what we'll do..."

X~x~X

Cloud had listened intently to the silver-haired man's plan, nodding and occasionally offering his own thoughts and opinion. He was relieved when he found that their plan didn't consist of murdering Zack and Reno, and was extremely pleased with what they had finally come up with.

"So," Sephiroth sighed, sitting back and tilting his head at Cloud. "Think you can pull it off?"

Cloud nodded with a small smile. "Easy enough." _This'll be fun..._

"It'll have to be convincing," Sephiroth advised.

"I can manage that," came the confident reply.

Sephiroth smiled approvingly. "Good." Standing, the silver-haired man strode back into the first room, Cloud in tow. He paced over to the window and peeked outside.

"Do you live around here-" Sephiroth frowned and looked at the other, realizing that he had yet to ask the boy's name. "I'm sorry. What is your name?"

"Cloud Strife, sir. And yes, only a few blocks away." Cloud was feeling considerably less nervous around the other man now that they had talked a bit. He was actually quite nice and Cloud was happy to be helping him out. Besides, it'd do his dumb friends good to have some sense scared into them...

Sephiroth nodded and gazed back out the window, spotting two heads of red and black spikes peeking out from above the bushes. "They're still out there," he said, half to himself. "Obviously waiting for you... I'm Sephiroth, by the way."

_Hell of a name_, Cloud thought.

The silver-haired man placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder and lead him into the kitchen. Once there, Sephiroth halted at the entrance to a very dark, empty hall. At the very end of it was a single, wooden door, leading to the backyard. Sephiroth pointed to it and said to Cloud,  
>"Exit through there; you'll come out from behind the house this way. You know what to do?"<p>

Cloud nodded and licked his lips. "Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll be right behind you." Sephiroth glanced down at the boy. "Don't call me 'sir'," he added with a smirk.

"Heh, sorry," Cloud apologized, scratching the back of his head. "Habit..."

"Hmph. They'll probably take you home..." Sephiroth looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he asked, somewhat unexpectedly, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Cloud blinked and thought for a second. "Uh...nothing, really."

"Would you mind paying me another visit?"

Cloud looked surprised, but nodded. "I-I can."

Sephiroth was pleased with that. "Good. I'd like to hear about how our little plan worked." Plus...he wouldn't mind seeing little Cloud again. Kid was fun. "If all goes well, I'll even reward you. How's that?"

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth and shyly smiled, nodding slightly. "That'll work."

"Alright. Three o'clock?"

"Sure."

"Okay," Sephiroth smiled and released Cloud's shoulder. An impish smile curved Sephiroth's lips as he gestured towards the door and asked, "Ready?"

Cloud gave his own evil little smile and stepped forward. "Definitely."

"Oh, wait," Sephiroth said, catching the teen's shoulder. When Cloud faced him with a quizzical look, Sephiroth traded his devilish smile for a soft one. "Thank you. I really appreciate your help."

Cloud returned the smile, somewhat shyly. "No problem, sir. I'm, uh...sorry, by the way."

Confused, Sephiroth tilted his head. "For?"

"My friends and I," he clarified. "You know, ringing your doorbell..." He meant it, too. Sephiroth seemed like a really nice, friendly guy, and he felt bad for bothering him.

Sephiroth shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you were with them tonight, in fact." He grinned at Cloud, "You're my long-awaited solution."

Cloud couldn't help the slight blush that heated his cheeks. "Uh, thanks, I guess. I'll, um, see you tomorrow then."

"Alright." Sephiroth faced the door again. "Now, get ready..."

Cloud giggled in excited anticipation of what they were about to do. He placed his hand on the doorknob and started the countdown. "One..."

Sephiroth laughed. "Two..."

"Three!" Then, they were off.

X~x~X

Reno and Zack are in for a shocking surprise...:) Heehee... Keep an eye out for the next update, it's coming soon(; Review please, and I'll see you all soon~! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**ATTENTION**: The end of the previous chapter has been re-written. You might wanna check it out. :P

**A/N** Okay, so a lot of this chapter is made up of Sephiroth and Cloud getting to know eachother, so there's a ton of talking. I apologize if it gets too boring for you. xD I'll admit, this was a bit rushed, but if I hadn't finished it when I did, it never would have gotten done. So, here you are! Enjoy(:

**Chapter 2: New Beginnings**

When Cloud had disappeared right before their eyes, Reno and Zack didn't know what to do.

"Should we go in there?" Reno whispered, breaking the shocked silence between them.

Zack swallowed and tried to find his voice. "I don't know," he finally managed. "M-maybe the guy just wants to talk to him?"

"Maybe... But what if he's so pissed that he just wants to kill us?" Reno grabbed Zack's arm, "We can't let him kill Cloud!"

Zack stared at the house in horror, images of poor, little, frightened Cloud, bleeding and bruised in some guy's basement popping up in his head. They'd be screwed if they went in there and Cloud was fine; if they were recognized, they'd probably have the cops called on them. On the other hand, if Cloud was getting murdered, it'd be all their fault. Everything was so messed up... "I don't know what to do!"

Reno turned to Zack and grabbed his shoulders, looking at him seriously. "How 'bout this; if we hear screaming, we'll go after him. But if it's quiet, yo, we'll wait a little then go knock and ask for our friend back. Sound good?"

"...I guess so," Zack hesitantly agreed. He didn't like the idea of Cloud being all alone in that freak's house. "You think he's okay?"

"Probably," Reno nodded, praying hard that it was true. "I mean, this guy ain't no killer or anything...is he?"

"I hope not," Zack said quietly. "You, uh...remember his name?"

"Started with an 'H' or somethin', didn't it?" Reno replied distractedly, staring at the house and listening for anything that might indicate that Cloud was dying.

"Sounded something like...Hobo?" _Pffft, that's not a name...gah, focus, Zack! _"But nevermind that. Listen for any suspicious sounds."

Reno nodded and did just that. "Right."

x_X_x_X_x

Excitement coursed though both males' bodies as Sephiroth and Cloud exited the house and stepped out onto the dewy, cool grass. It was a clear, beautiful night, the absence of clouds making it so that the moon could shine at it's utmost brightest. _Good_, Sephiroth thought as he closed the door behind him. Zack and Reno would be able to get a clear view of what was happening.

Cloud threw a quick glance over his shoulder at Sephiroth, finding the reassurance he seeked when the man sent him an encouraging wink. Cloud flashed a quick smile and nodded once, signaling that he was ready. Sephiroth nodded back and made the first move.

Cloud's scream broke the calm quiet of the night and hurt Sephiroth's ears a little, but it was worth it. As Sephiroth wrestled the blonde to the ground, the sound of two teenage voices and rapid footfall met their ears, causing both to crack a quick, involuntary smile. They were again serious after a fleeting moment and Cloud made sure to put on his most convincing act. Another scream pierced the silence, but was cut short as Sephiroth's hand covered the boy's mouth, muffling the sound.

"Cloud!"

Sephiroth watched as Cloud's eyes immediately shot to his friends and loud, desperate cries sounded from his throat. The silver-haired man straddled Cloud's waist and wrapped the fingers of his free hand around the teen's throat, cutting of the frenzied cries with a sudden pressure that hopefully wouldn't hurt Cloud. The loud cries stopped abruptly with an exaggerated, choking noise that sounded way too real. Sephiroth loosened his grip slightly just in case, but Cloud seemed to be perfectly fine. _A good actor, then? We'll see..._

Sephiroth looked up from Cloud's struggling form beneath him to glare at the two teens who were fast approaching. Before they could reach them, Sephiroth growled lowly and snarled the words, "Take another step, and I'll break his neck."

That had the two young men stopping in their tracks, only a couple yards away from them. Cloud widened his eyes in feigned horror and looked to his friends pleadingly, whining pitifully behind Sephiroth's palm. To deepen the threat, Sephiroth tightened his fingers around Cloud's neck, earning another fake gag.

"He gets what he deserves," Sephiroth growled dangerously, glaring down at Cloud's terribly frightened face.

"But, he doesn't deserve it!" Zack bravely defended. He fumbled for words, anything that might save his friend. "I-it's all my fault!"

"Cloud's got nothing to do with it!" Reno said, taking a defensive stance. "Let him go."

A sadistic smile curved Sephiroth's lips at that. "I don't think so," he commented and further tightened his grip around Cloud's throat, forcing a breathless grunt from the blonde. It was all planned though, and Sephiroth was careful to ensure that Cloud really wasn't in any pain. Zack and Reno however, didn't know this. Sephiroth smirked when he noticed their trembling. "He's already taken the blame upon himself."

In a moment of pure desperation, Zack swallowed his fear and lunged forward, determined to save his friend. Luckily for Sephiroth, he had been half-expecting an attack of some sort and wasn't too caught off-guard by Zack's sudden advance. He was knocked off of Cloud and hit the ground beside him, the black-haired teen on top of him.

Cloud gasped as Sephiroth released him, finally able to take in a full breath of air. He massaged his throat and looked to his redheaded friend. "Reno!" he cried, scrambling to his feet and running to him. Reno enveloped him in a tight, safe hug, squeezing him in relief. Cloud clung to him and buried his face in his shoulder, hiding a triumphant smile. _This is actually working! _Cloud looked back to where Sephiroth and Zack were and called out Zack's name.

"Let's get outta here!" Reno shouted to the raven-haired teen, grabbing Cloud's hand and tugging him away from the two.

Zack didn't need to be told twice. He got to his feet and ran after his friends, not bothering to look back. Sephiroth sneered after them, "angry" that his "victims" had gotten away. But when Cloud looked back at him with a beaming grin, Sephiroth couldn't help but smile, too. He watched the three teens haul-ass out of his yard and laughed quietly.

"Good work, Cloud."

x_X_x_X_x

"That," Reno panted, one arm wrapped around his stomach. "Fuckin' _sucked_!"

"Yeah," Zack agreed breathlessly, falling to his knees and breathing heavily. They had stopped running when they reached an empty street, using the sidewalk as a place to catch their breath. Zack's gaze swung to Cloud, who was sprawled out on the ground in exhaustion and staring up at the stars. The black-haired teen reached out and laid a hand on Cloud's leg, asking concernedly, "You okay, buddy?"

Those bright blue eyes looked down from the stars to focus on Zack. Cloud pulled himself into a sitting position and nodded tiredly, laying his hand over Zack's and squeezing. "Yeah, I'm alright. He didn't hurt me."

"What _did_he do?" Reno asked, taking a seat on the cold pavement as well. "I mean, you were in the house for a while, yo..."

Cloud just shook his head, staring at the ground. "I don't want to talk. Let's just forget about it."

Zack and Reno exchanged a knowing glance and decided to drop the subject. They could talk later. "Yeah, alright." Zack rose to his feet. "You guys wanna crash at my place tonight?"

"Sure," Reno said while Cloud nodded, standing as well. "Lead the way, yo."

x_X_x_X_x

Cloud woke with a groan the next morning, yanking the blanket up over his head to block out the too-bright sunlight. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Cloud brought his wrist up before his face and checked the time on his watch. _I should probably get up_. Regretfully, Cloud slid the blanket off of himself and sat up, looking around tiredly. Zack and Reno were still asleep on the floor, snoring softly.

Zack's pillow lay forgotten as the two teens shared Reno's, limbs entagled. Cloud grinned and had to cover his mouth to stifle a giggle, debating on whether or not he should take a picture. He then decided, _why the fuck not? _and pulled out his cell phone.

He snapped a quick photo and re-pocketed his phone, snickering quietly to himself. _Guess we scared 'em a little too much_. Cloud rose from the couch, grabbing his pillow first, and kneeled down beside his sleeping friends. The pillow he held was slammed against Zack's butt, earning an unhappy groan from him.

"Wake up, man," Cloud said with another whack to Zack's ass. "You're committing faggotry."

"Huh?" Zack blinked a few times, then registered the fact that his arms were wound around Reno's torso and vice versa. With a high- pitched squeak, Zack quickly let go and crawled back a few feet. Reno only mumbled something unintelligible and turned away from them, still asleep. Zack looked at Cloud apologetically. "...I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Me too," Cloud laughed, hitting Zack over the head with his pillow.

Zack groaned and grabbed his own pillow to shield his face with. "Promise not to tell anyone?"

"What, that you and Reno cuddled? No prob."

"Hey!" Zack pouted, smacking Cloud with his pillow. "I was asleep!"

Cloud laughed and whacked Zack one last time before dropping his pillow. "No worries, your secret's safe with me."

The raven-haired teen sighed and threw his pillow at Reno's head, waking the redhead. Reno groaned and turned to face them, scowling at the rude awakening.

"Rise and shine, beautiful!" Cloud chimed with a bright smile, throwing his pillow at him, as well. "It's noon."

x_X_x_X_x

Later that day, after Cloud had returned home with a promise to Zack that he'd visit again soon, the blonde stood in his bedroom, half-naked and pulling on a pair of jeans. It was almost time for him to leave and meet up with Sephiroth, so he hurried to change into the rest of his clothes. A warm hoodie was grabbed on his way out and pulled on while he headed down the staircase.

He heard the TV on in the living room and headed in that direction to say goodbye to his mother. He approached from behind the couch and leaned over the back of it to look at her. She was tired again, laying down with a blanket wrapped around her. Cloud reached down and stroked some blonde hair out of her face. "Hey, mom."

She responded by lifting a hand to his and gently squeezing it. Cloud smiled and squeezed back. "I'm gonna head out again, alright? I'll be back in a couple hours."

She turned her head to look up at him, a questioning look on her face. He explained simply, "Just goin' to a friend's house for a bit."

Seemingly pleased, she laid her head back down with a nod, kissing his hand before letting go. He smiled warmly and bent down to kiss her cheek, saying softly, "I love you, too, mom. I'll be back later."

Pointing to her cell phone that rested on the coffee table, his mother glanced up at him again. He nodded and said, "Yeah, I'll text if anything changes. I'll keep my phone on, text whenever you want."

With another nod and small smile, she waved her hand, dismissing him. Cloud smoothed his hand over her hair before straightening up and walking over to the door. "Bye, mom!" he called over his shoulder, though he knew there'd be no answer. Then, he left.

About ten minutes and four blocks later, Cloud found himself standing before Sephiroth's old, utterly creepy house. He briefly wondered why such a young-looking man would want to live in such a crappy worn-down house. _Maybe he doesn't want to_, he mused to himself, stepping up the creaking stairs.

Memories came back to him of the previous night, causing him to crack a smile. _It's so different, now_. He knocked this time, figuring that the man had probably heard far more bell chimes than he'd ever desired to. The wait was short, as Sephiroth came to the door rather quickly. Cloud was greeted with a charming smile and a friendly, "Hello, again."

"Hi," Cloud greeted back with a little wave. To his surprise, he didn't feel any nervousness, only a faint eagerness to speak with the man.

Sephiroth glanced around their surroundings for a moment, taking in the bright sunshine and cool air. He missed nice weather like this... He looked back to Cloud and tilted his head at him. "Would you like to go somewhere?"

The question was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Cloud shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Sure. Where to?"

Sephiroth leaned against the doorframe and thought for a moment. He didn't go many places, but there was one spot he frequented more than others. "A coffee shop?" he suggested.

Cloud nodded his spiky head with a smile, "Sounds good."

Sephiroth returned the smile and and stepped out onto the porch, closing the squeaky door behind him carefully. As they headed down the steps together and onto the driveway, Sephiroth elaborated, "There's one not too far from here. 'Richie's', I think it's called."

"Oh, I've been there," Cloud nodded. "A friend of mine works there."

Sephiroth sent him a side-long glance and smirked. "Mine, too."

"Really?" Cloud asked, sounding interested. "What's his name?

"Genesis Rhapsodos."

Cloud bit the inside of his cheek in thought, but couldn't remember anyone by that name. "Don't think I know that one..."

"He works in the kitchen." Sephiroth looked at the ground as they walked, taking in every little pebble and blade of grass, glad to be away from home again. "And your friend?"

Cloud gazed up at the sky, enjoying the feel of warm sunlight on his face. "Her name's Yuffie."

Sephiroth nodded, remembering that name. "I've heard of her." Genesis loved to complain. "Nice girl?"

"I guess, but she gets kinda annoying...don't tell her I said that."

Sephiroth chuckled and nudged Cloud's arm with his elbow. "Your secret's safe with me."

x_X_x_X_x

"Do you come here often?" Sephiroth questioned as he and and Cloud seated themselves at a table.

"I used to, not so much anymore," Cloud responded as he absently checked his phone for new messages. "I like it, though. And you?"

Sephiroth shook his head, silver hair swaying with the movement. "Not really. I only know it through Genesis." He brought his gaze to the window, observing the people walking by. "Angeal and I sometimes come to visit him when he's working."

"Angeal?"

"Our friend," he clarified. He glanced at Cloud with a small smile. "We're all pretty close."

"Ah." Cloud returned the smile and scanned the shop for a familiar face. He propped his chin up on his hand and let his eyes wander over everything. Soon enough, he spotted familiar black hair and light pink uniform. Yuffie noticed him as well and flashed him a bright smile, then hopped up onto the bar counter and slid off the other side to come greet them. Cloud caught Sephiroth's eye and inclined his head towards her. "There's Yuffie."

The smiling teen bounced up to them with an excited exclamation of, "Cloud! Good to see you!"

"Hey, Yuffie," he greeted warmly, returning a quick hug. After pulling back, he gestured towards Sephiroth, introducing them. "Yuffie, this is Sephiroth, a friend of mine."

As soon as she saw him, her features lit up in recognition. "Oh, I've seen you before!" she announced with enthusiasm. "You're good friends with Genesis, right?"

Nodding in affirmation, Sephiroth smiled kindly at her. "It is very nice to meet you, Yuffie." He could see why Cloud found her as annoying. Her bubbly, loud attitude could get on anybody's nerves after a while.

She grinned at him, sending back a cheerful, "You, too!" She put her hands on her hips and glanced around the small restaurant.

"Busy day?" Cloud asked her, taking in the amount of customers. The place didn't seem very crowded.

She shook her head. "Not really. Only around noon did the place get kinda full, but other than that, business has been pretty slow."

Sephiroth smirked. "Genesis should be happy, then." His friend hated it when there were more than five customers at a time. Luckily for him, there were only a few people inhabiting the place, so Genesis shouldn't be too busy.

"Believe me, he is," Yuffie laughed, then became slightly serious as she remembered something. "Oh, that reminds me. He's been asking if anyone's seen you around lately."

One silver brow lifted at that. "Oh?"

She nodded. "Mm-hm. Says he doesn't see you much anymore."

Sephiroth looked over to where the entrance to the kitchen was. "I should probably go say hello, then..."

Cloud smiled understandingly and said, "Go ahead. I'll order us something."

"Thank you." Sephiroth rose from his seat and tipped his head to them, "Please, excuse me."

Both teens looked after the silver-haired man as he departed and sneaked past the kitchen's entrance, unnoticed. Yuffie then occupied Sephiroth's empty seat, looking at Cloud seriously. "Okay. What's up with that?"

Cloud blinked innocently at her. "What?"

"You and him!" she clarified, lightly smacking him on the forehead as if it were obvious. "How did you two meet?"

"Oh, that," Cloud said, sitting back in his seat. He failed to think of a way to quickly explain everything to her, so instead just settled for, "It's...a long story."

Yuffie sighed, but didn't press. "Fine, tell me later." A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she casually asked, "So...you two on a date?"

"No!" Cloud quickly denied, fighting a blush. "We're just...talking."

The ebony-haired teen smirked and slowly leaned back, unconvinced. "Riiiiight..."

"I'm serious!" Cloud persisted, cheeks burning. "We only met yesterday."

Yuffie studied his face seriously for a moment, searching for any signs that might indicate Cloud was hiding something from her. Finding none, she resignedly shook her head. "Alright, we'll talk later." The young waitress leaned across the table to jab a finger into Cloud's chest. "And I expect to hear the full story, Strife!"

Cloud nodded and folded his hands in his lap. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Yuffie leaned back in her seat. "Do you...want it to be a date?"

"Yuffie!"

"Well, I'm just curious!" The short-haired teen crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a pointed look. "He's hot, so why not go for him?"

Cloud buried his face in his hands to hide his reddening cheeks, mumbling, "Whatever. Just ask me what I'll have."

Visibly brightening, the waitress beamed her usual smile and snatched a little notebook and pen out of her pocket. "So," she began, winking at Cloud. "What can I get for ya?"

A few minutes later, Sephiroth emerged from behind the kitchen doors, staying low and keeping an eye out for the manager. His eyes flitted back to where Cloud lounged, the blonde's blue eyes trained on something beyond the window while a steaming cup of coffee warmed his hands. A smile tugged at the corners of Sephiroth's lips as he straightened and strode back over to their table.

A cup of coffee waited there for him as well, steam rising from the heated liquid it held. A plate of hot French fries lay in the middle, looking salty and delicious. Slipping silently back into his seat, Sephiroth took the cup into his hands and raised it to his lips. Cloud noticed him then and nodded towards the cup in the other's hands. "Yuffie just brought what you normally get here. Is that alright?"

"That's fine," Sephiroth nodded, setting the glass back down. "Thank you."

"No problem," Cloud returned with a smile, looking back to the window.

After a few silent moments, Sephiroth smirked and conversationally began, "So, how was your night?"

The blonde chuckled and carefully set down his cup. "Just wonderful, actually. Can't say the same for my friends, though," he added with a little laugh.

Sephiroth laughed, as well. "And why's that?"

Cloud reached into his pants pocket for his cell phone. "They were pretty shaken up. We scared 'em good."

Sephiroth peered at the screen of Cloud's cell phone as it was held in front of his face. He had to stifle his laughter with his hand as he recognized the boys in the picture to be none other than his his teenage terrorizors, clinging to eachother in their sleep. "Wonderful," he chuckled. "Great work, Cloud."

"You, too." Cloud snapped his phone shut and laid it on the table, then picked up his coffee again. "I don't think they'll be bothering you anymore."

"Good," Sephiroth sighed, relieved. "My uncle will be glad to hear that."

Confused, Cloud furrowed his brow. "Your uncle?"

"Mm-hm." Sephiroth sat his cup back down. "I live with him. The house is his."

"Ohhh!" Cloud exclaimed with wide eyes, realizing something. "That's probably why they were doing it, then. They hate your uncle!"

Sephiroth gave a short, humorless laugh at that. "I'm not surprised." He said his next words with a grimace. "Hojo isn't exactly a...pleasant man."

"No kiddin'," Cloud sympathized, leaning back and studying Sephiroth's face. "Why do you live with him?"

"I can't afford a place of my own, yet," Sephiroth explained, propping his chin up on his knuckles. "I've lived with him all my life."

"...No parents?" Cloud carefully asked. When Sephiroth merely shook his head, Cloud dared to question further. "What happened to them?" He knew it was pretty personal, but he was curious.

"I'm not quite sure," Sephiroth admitted, gazing out the window with a wistful expression. "My uncle tells me that my mother died shortly after giving birth to me. A few months later, my father disappeared. Nobody knows what happened to him."

Cloud was more than a little shocked. "I'm...so sorry to hear that," he said numbly. He couldn't imagine growing up without a parent. A despised uncle was certainly no substitute, either.

Sephiroth looked back to Cloud with a small smile and shake of his head. "Don't be," he said earnestly, wrapping his fingers around the warm glass of his coffee cup. "I'm fine with how things are."

Cloud gave a weak smile back and decided to change the subject. "Was your uncle there last night?" He didn't recall seeing him...

"No, he's out of town for the weekend," Sephiroth informed him with a shake of his silver head. "He'll be returning on Tuesday."

Cloud nodded and grabbed for a few fries, saying, "So, you're basically stuck there until you can move out."

"Until I'm able to afford an apartment, yes," Sephiroth sighed. He briefly wondered why he was telling the young blonde all this, but soon decided it didn't matter. Talking with Cloud was...nice and he felt he could speak freely with him. "In exchange for allowing me to live there, I work for him."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "What do you do?"

"For him?" Sephiroth averted his gaze from Cloud's and shrugged. "Anything he asks of me."

Cloud waited for Sephiroth to say more, but the silver-haired man only  
>stared silently out the window, expressionless. Cloud hummed in apprehension and grabbed for another fry. "Interesting."<p>

Sephiroth smiled and set down his cup. "So," he began, leaning against the chair's backrest and tilting his head at Cloud. "I've told you my story; let's hear yours."

_Nothing's free in this world..._Cloud stuffed his hands into sweatshirt's pockets and shrugged. "Not much to tell, really. I was born in a town called Nibelheim, but I've lived here all my life."

"Your parents are from there?"

"My mom is." Cloud winced slightly as he added, "I, uh...don't know who my father is and apparently, neither does she."

Sephiroth nodded understandingly. "I am sorry to hear that."

Cloud waved his hand dismissively. "It's no problem." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, a slight frown on his face as he added, "I just wish she had someone other than me, you know?"

Cloud grabbed a sugar packet and carefully tore it open. "She's a little...unstable." At Sephiroth's concerned glance, he quickly assured him, "Nothing too serious, though. It's just better for her if I'm around."

_Unstable?_Sephiroth watched as Cloud dumped the sugar into his coffee with a quick movement. He nodded, "I see." Sephiroth suspected this was a sensitive subject and decided to change it. "Are you in school?" he then asked.

Cloud nodded as he stirred his coffee. "Mm-hm, senior in high school."

Sephiroth nodded and thoughtfully gazed out the window again. Curiously, he asked, "Do you...enjoy school?"

Cloud shrugged, "Not really. But then again, who does?" Cloud sipped at his coffee, then asked, "What about you?"

Sephiroth glanced at him with a smirk. "What about me?"

"Do you enjoy school?"

Sephiroth frowned in thought. "I...don't know," he admitted quietly. "I've never been to one."

Cloud's eyebrows lifted at that. "Seriously?" _No wonder I've never seen him before.  
><em>  
>Sephiroth nodded and rested his elbows on the table, propping his chin up on his knuckles. "My uncle's been homeschooling me all these years."<p>

"...Damn." Cloud gave a sympathetic wince. "That's gotta suck."

Sephiroth chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "It's all I know. And I don't mind, I've learned all I needed to."

"You've finished school then?" Cloud asked.

"Yes, about two years ago."

"...How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

Cloud's jaw dropped slightly. "Wow," he breathed. "You look older."

A smirk passed Sephiroth's lips, the statement a familiar one. "I've heard that before."

"I'll bet," Cloud said, pulling his foot up onto the chair and resting his arm on his knee. "I'm seventeen."

Sephiroth's smirk widened as he said, "You look younger."

With a sigh, Cloud hung his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "And I've heard that..."

"Not that it's a bad thing," Sephiroth continued, trading his smirk for a soft smile. "You're..." he tilted his head as he tried to think of the right word. "Innocent-looking."

Cloud scoffed, "And that's a good thing?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I think so."

Cloud shrugged and munched on a couple fries, mumbling resignedly, "If you say so."

Sephiroth's smile did not falter, nor did it fade as the day progressed. The little blonde's constant chatter eased his mind off of the usual, less than pleasant topics his thoughts normally centered around. Cloud's carefree presence did that to him, lightening his mood to the point of actually being happy. Yes, there was something strangely amazing about Cloud Strife and Sephiroth was interested to find out what. For now though, he was content to just sit back and talk with the blonde.

x_X_x_X_x

The afternoon had passed into late evening by the time Cloud and Sephiroth exited the shop. The sinking sun cast a bright, warmly glowing hue over the quiet town, bathing the two young men in a soft orange light as they walked. Side-by-side, they headed back towards the suburbs.

"You know," Sephiroth said slowly, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over them. A smirk appeared on his lips as he nudged Cloud's shoulder. "I owe you."

Cloud looked up at him with a questioning look. "For?"

"For helping me scare your friends away," he clarified. "I said I'd reward you."

Cloud immediately tried to decline, feeling that the man had already paid him enough just by spending time with him. He shook his head negatively, "Don't worry about it-"

"I said I would," Sephiroth gently interrupted, holding up a hand. "So I will."

Cloud didn't argue, only sighed good-naturedly and shook his head. "Alright. What did you have in mind?"

"What would you like?"

Cloud couldn't stop his blush as he dared to answer with, "I'd, um...really like to see you again..."

Sephiroth's expression turned into one of pleasant surprise as he heard the timid response. "That can be arranged," he said with a smile.

Cloud gave a lopsided smile back, then averted his gaze to the sidewalk again. Sephiroth watched the blonde out of the corner of his eye, a strange, pleasant emotion surging through him at the idea of being able to see him again. Sephiroth enjoyed Cloud's company more than any other stranger he'd met before, and couldn't deny the fact that he liked him. _A new friend, perhaps_? He certainly hoped so.

X~x~X

**A/N** Long and boring, right? xD The next chapters should have more interesting, fun stuff happening, so stay tuned. ;)

**PS**. I might have to change the title and summary of this story, so watch out for that. I apologize in advance for any future confusion.

**PPS**. I also might re-write or edit this chapter, so if it disappears, it's probably just under construction.

**Review please**!(:


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